Starbridge (35 page)

"I've never hit anyone anyway," she admitted miserably. "Have you?"

"I boxed in college. Welterweight. But a real fight? No." He shook his head.

"We can't, Mahree. Remember how strong they are."

As Dhurrrkk' ushered them into
Rosinante's
airlock, Mahree's heart was pounding. Rob was pale, but his jaw was set and his eyes were steady and resolute.

When the doors split apart, Mahree and her friends peered tensely out, then relaxed slightly as they saw that there was no one waiting for them. They emerged into a rounded tunnel that blazed brightly with white light. The gravity was approximately Jolie-normal. The air was quite warm, rather dry, and rich with oxygen.
It's a good thing we didn't bring Doctor Blanket,
Mahree thought, squinting in the brightness after so many days in the near-darkness aboard
Rosinante.
The walls of the tunnel were a reflective white; the floor was shiny and black.

As they stood crowded together outside the airlock, blinking and staring, enjoying the welcome warmth of their surroundings while wondering what to do, a thick layer of blue mist began issuing from the walls. Soon the entire corridor was obscured by a sapphire fog.

A voice spoke echoingly in sibilant Simiu: "Please step through the decontamination vapor. We regret the necessity for this procedure, and request your patience. Do not inhale as you move through the vapor. Thank you for helping us."

The three travelers looked at one another. "What did it say?" Rob asked. "I caught only the first part."

Mahree repeated the message. Rob shrugged. "What the hell," he muttered, and strode into the mist. Moments later, Mahree heard his voice magnified by the curving walls. "Tell Dhurrrkk' it's okay!" he yelled. "Come on through, there's someone waiting for us. A Mizari. No Simiu."

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Quickly, Mahree plunged into the decontamination vapor. The stuff felt warm and damp on her skin, and made her eyes prickle, so she shut them as she moved forward. Midway through she was conscious of a soft hum, and a bright light flashed. Three more steps, and she was past the light and out of the vapor. She could hear Dhurrrkk' behind her, his nails clicking softly against the polished black material of the floor.

Mahree opened her eyes as she felt air against her skin again. The featureless corridor was filled with a golden light that radiated from the being awaiting them.

So that's a Mizari.
Mahree examined the sinuous form of the alien, eyes widening.
But the holo-vids never conveyed that they were so utterly
gorgeous!

The alien who faced them was a female. Mahree recognized that fact immediately because of the being's lack of the vestigial dorsal ridge.

Beneath the aurulent glow (some kind of protective field), the Mizari's scales shimmered silvery white, with brilliant diamonds of scarlet, black, and orange patterning her back. She had lifted the first third of her body, and the humans could see the tiny gripping appendages that roughened the scales of her underside.

The being's eyes were black, unblinking and pupilless, and nearly on a level with Mahree's head. The head itself was wedge-shaped, blunt-nosed, and surrounded by the thick cloud of moving "tentacles" that were the Mizari equivalent of hands and fingers. The sensitive appendages waved outward, surrounding the being's head and continuing down her "neck," many over half a meter in length. The "tentacles" were black, scarlet, and orange, and each was tipped with the silvery white. They moved so constantly that Mahree could not see whether they were scaled or not.

The alien's overall length was impressive, well over five meters. Her body lay stretched behind her as a counterbalance to her raised head, but, as the three travelers stopped before her, she slowly, deliberately, coiled her lower length, scales sliding over one another with a sinuous whisper.

"God, she's beautiful!" Rob whispered, grinning with unconcealed delight.

Then he gave a half-smothered laugh, and muttered something that sounded like, "Snakes ... why'd they have to be
snakes?"

Mahree jabbed him with her elbow, wanting to hush him, but

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"shhhhh!" in Mizari meant "I itch from shedding," and she didn't think that would be an appropriate first comment. Instead, she placed her steepled hands together over her head and bowed from the waist, as Dhurrrkk' had shown them. "Greetings," she said, in Mizari. (What the ancient phrase literally meant was "good hunting," but Mizari no longer devoured live prey.

For hundreds of centuries they had existed on synthetic forms of protein.) The being raised all her tentacles over her head and then gracefully dipped the first meter of her body. "Greetings," she said, in her own language. Her needlelike fangs were even longer than Dhurrrkk's, though they were now folded back into her mouth so they were barely visible as she spoke. "In my own name, and the name of my people, the"--she hissed the Mizari name for themselves--"and as a duly authorized representative of the Cooperative League of Systems, it is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to this place representing the spirit of our unity. I am Shirazz, the Guest Liaison for the League. I deeply regret that I must remain encased within this bioprotection field, but that is as much for your safety as it is my own."

"We understand, Esteemed Shirazz," Mahree said, still speaking Mizari. "I am Mahree Burroughs, and these are my companions and friends, Doctor Robert Gable, and Honored Dhurrrkk' of the clan"--she voiced the low, breathy growl of the Simiu's extended house. "We have come to ask your aid on a matter concerning interstellar peace. If misunderstandings between my people and Honored Dhurrrkk's are not resolved, there may be physical conflict between our species."

Shirazz had ceased her faint undulations and was poised very still. Even her tentacles stopped moving for a moment as she listened. "You speak our language," she said. "I am pleased and honored--and, I must confess, surprised. Surely you have not met our kind before?"

"No, I have not. I learned your speech aboard Honored Dhurrrkk's vessel.

And, while Honored Dhurrrkk' can speak your language, my friend Doctor Gable cannot."

"Does Doctor-Robert-Gable speak--" and the being breathed the low grunt and click that was the Simiu name for their tongue.

"Yes, he does."

"Then," said the Mizari in her excellent Simiu, "let us 224

converse in that language. Honored HealerGable"--she bowed to Rob--"and Honored Dhurrrkk' "--she bowed to the Simiu.

Both males bowed, in turn.

"Also," Mahree said, "I have prepared cassettes that can be used with Simiu equipment that will provide translations from simple Mizari into Simiu, thence into English, which is our standard language. There is also a Simiu/English dictionary we have developed. I thought they might prove useful." She took the little cassettes out of her pocket, and held them up.

"Most impressive indeed," Shirazz said. "We thank you. You may place them on that ledge over there." She touched a tentacle to the wall at shoulder height for a human, and the featureless white expanse suddenly extruded the promised ledge.

Mahree hastily complied.

When she had returned to her spot between her companions, Shirazz said,

"And do you have voders that will allow you to translate?"

"Yes, at least from Simiu into English," Mahree told her.

"Excellent. For three who made such a precipitate departure, you have arrived very well prepared to communicate."

"Communication with your species and the rest of the CLS worlds is our dearest wish," Mahree told her.

"We have spoken to Honored Rhrrrkkeet'," Shirazz said. "She has told us of the situation there. The representatives from Hurrreeah will be offering their testimony at a meeting of the Planetary Councillors, tomorrow. But we are also eager to hear your testimony."

Mahree closed her eyes for a second and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. "We will be happy to oblige," she said. "Tomorrow?"

"No, at the following Planetary Councillors' meeting, three Simiu days from now. The Councillors will wish to see you, to hear you speak, and then to have an opportunity to speak to you . . . question you, about yourselves and your worlds. Will that be acceptable?"

"That will be fine. We are very interested in meeting the assorted member races of the League."

"Such meetings will be arranged," Shirazz said, "but first, you must endure a brief quarantine. You were scanned as you walked through the

decontamination vapor. Soon we will know whether it is safe for you to have contact with us. If not, we will provide you with environmental protection fields, like mine."

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"We would welcome a chance to rest," Mahree said warmly. "Our journey has not been easy."

"We have put through a request to the Simiu First Councillor, Honored Ahkk'eerrr, for permission for you to speak with Rhrrrkkeet', and also with your human friends," the Guest Liaison said. "You should be able to do so by the time your quarantine is ended. And now, will you humans follow me to your quarters?"

"But what about FriendDhurrrkk', Esteemed Shirazz?" Rob spoke up for the first time, his Simiu pronunciation mangled, but understandable. "Where will he be lodged?"

"Honored Dhurrrkk' is not under quarantine," Shirazz said. "He will stay in the Simiu section of this station. Honored Ahkk'eerrr wishes to speak with him."

I'll just bet she does!
Mahree thought. "Esteemed Shirazz," she began, speaking politely but firmly, "Doctor Gable and I wish Dhurrrkk' assigned to our quarters. The three of us do not wish to be separated."

The being uncoiled herself, her scales whispering softly over one another. "I am most regretful that I cannot accede to your request," she said, "but Honored Dhurrrkk' must accompany
them."
Her tentacles gestured at the corridor behind her. Mahree saw two burly Simiu males approaching.

"Honored Councillor Ahkk'eerrr insisted."

Mahree turned to her friend in despair. "Dhurrrkk'!" she whispered, squatting down to face him.

"Do not upset yourself, FriendMahree," he said, reaching out to gently hug her. His fur was warm and spicy against her cheek. "I will go with them. I will be fine."

"Bullshit you're going with them!" Rob snarled, in English. He plunked himself down cross-legged on the floor of the tunnel and grasped Dhurrrkk'

around the waist, locking each wrist in the opposite hand. His astonished Simiu friend gaped at him, too stunned to protest. "They'll have to drag me off to get you away," the doctor vowed. "Mahree, grab on!"

She stared at him openmouthed for a second, then grinned wickedly as she sat down and wrapped her arms around Dhurrrkk's chest, locking her wrists, just as Rob had. "Esteemed One," she addressed the Mizari, "we will not be separated! It is
essential
that Dhurrrkk' stay with us!"

Shirazz was staring at them, motionless, as the two other

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Simiu reached their group. The aliens solemnly made the greeting gesture to the Guest Liaison, then they squatted down on their haunches and stared at the linked threesome, nonplussed.

The Guest Liaison seemed completely taken aback by the humans' action. "I am at a loss to comprehend," she said slowly. "What is wrong? Is there cause for alarm?"

"There is indeed, Esteemed One!" Mahree cried.
"Please
listen and believe!

Honored Dhurrrkk'
must
be there to speak beside us at the Council meeting, he
must'.
Otherwise, our story will not be complete! And to ensure that he attends, he must remain here, with us!"

Shirazz glanced at the two Simiu. "Perhaps you did not understand, when I said that Honored Dhurrrkk' would be sent to his people--I meant the Simiu contingent
here,
on this station, not on his homeworld," she said, and Mahree could tell she was also speaking for the benefit of Dhurrrkk's would-be "escorts."

"Yes, but does Honored Councillor
Ahkk'eerrr
understand that?" Rob put in, enunciating the Simiu words with dogged precision. "Honored Dhurrrkk'

could be on his way to Hurrreeah by the time of the Councillors' meeting. We cannot risk that." The doctor had to clear his throat when he was finished, but he flashed a triumphant glance at his companions.

That's the longest thing he ever said!
Mahree thought.
Shirazz understood
him, too!
She gave him a proud smile. "We will not be separated from Honored Dhurrrkk'. Our friend must be with us at the meeting of the Councillors, to speak for himself." She glanced at the other Simiu. "He must be protected until then," she finished quietly.

For the first time, one of the Simiu spoke. "We have our orders, Esteemed and Honored Shirazz," the larger one said. He was a fully mature male, taller than Dhurrrkk' by half a head. The other was nearly as big. "This is a matter concerning the internal security of our homeworld. Dhurrrkk'--" (Mahree noticed with a stab of fear that he did not use the term "honored") "Dhurrrkk'

must come with us. Ahkk'eerrr has said so. We will escort him to her ... by any means we must."

"Please, Esteemed and Honored Shirazz," the other put in, "we do not want any unpleasantness. Order the humans away, or we will have to ..." he trailed off uncertainly. "Do as we must," he finished, finally.

Hearing the implied threat, Dhurrrkk' tried gently to pull

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away. "My friends, I cannot allow you to risk your own safety," he murmured, in English. "Let me go! After what Shirazz has witnessed, they will not dare to harm me."

"No!" Mahree told him, and tightened her grip until her friend would have to hurt her to free himself. She addressed the two would-be "escorts" angrily,

"You cannot threaten us into letting him go!" Fury was erasing her fear. "How
dare
you?"

The Simiu guards' eyes narrowed, and their powerful hands flexed, as though they were barely maintaining control. "Let him go," the biggest one said, addressing Mahree directly for the first time. "You have no right to do this."

Mahree lost her temper. Furious, she glared hard at the two Simiu, then deliberately bared her teeth. "Yes, I do! We are honor-bound!" she snarled.